Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1887-04-12
THE REc0RlO OF SELDEN HETzEL
His Justice Of the Peace Affairs in
White Pine.
Other Matters Appertaining to
His Political History.
How He Came 90 Sacramento and
what He Has Done Here,

sacramento bee, ApTtf5.
Selden Hetzel, the delinquent Register
of the Laad Office in this city, departed
for San Francisco Wednesday afternoon,
ostensibly with the intention Of arranging
his affairs so as to satisfactorily settle his
a~ccounts with the Receiver. Up to this
writing be has not returned, and the sur.
misc OF many who are well posted in his
affairs is that be will not return to make
the necessary settlement. In fact, there
can be no object of advantage in his re.
turning. Even though he should settle
the financial part of the matter, his tech
meal irregularities are so fragrant IS to in
sure his removal from the position, despite
any influence that might be brought to
bear to the contrary. 1t is believed, how
ever, by those in a position to know, that
Heizel has no money and that by nc pos
sibility can he raise a sufficient amount to
square the shortage. He has, in the past,
been peculiarly fortunate in the possession
of influential friends. who have condoned
his transgressions and protected him from
the consequences OF his shortcomings,
but IL is believed that as to them, they
have arrived at q stage where patience
ceases to be a virtue and that they will
not again come to his rescue.
HETZEL's CAREER.
The case Of the erring Register fur
nishes q peculiar example Of what social
and political influence can accomplish in
keeping on the surface q man othe wise I'M
deserving. Hetzel comes of an old and
aristocratic family in Delaware. During
the war he joined the Union forces, though
he ia a most bitter and fanatical Democrat.
and all his ideas and affiliations were and
have been of the intense Southern order
known popularity as the "Chiyalry SEN
timept. In this service he acquired the
rank Of Captain; ON his coming to this
Coast his title was promoted to that Of
Colonel; and, through holding the office
Of Justice OF the Peace in Hamilton,
White Pine county, Nevada, and his en-
bracing the practice Of law, has since been
addressed and spoken OF as Judge"
Hetzel.
The first prominent appearance Of Sell
den Hetzel on this Coast was in White
Pine, during the excitement over the
mines of that region in 1869. In the fol-
lowing year he received the Democratic
nomination for Police Judge of the city
OF Hamilton really q Justice OF the
Peace. but with the title Of City Recorder.
By dint of the Democratic majority, the
INFLUENCE OF A STRONG SOUTHERN CON-
TISGEST,
And q savior faire which he possesses in
an eminent degree, he was elected to the
place, which under existing conditions was
an important position. In his official ca
pacity large sums Of money. in the aggre.
gate, were to pass through his hands, but
they did o pass through; that is, not
through the lawfully intended channel,
and, as a matter OF course. exposure fol
lowed. II the writer's memory serves, he
was indicted by the Grand Jury for en-
bezzlement. but, owing to the unsettled
condition of affairs. the breaking up OF the
| mining excitement. end the influence OF
friends. mostly Southern men and law
yers, was never prosecuted.
From White Pine he drifted through
and into several camps in Nevada, essay.
ing the practice OF law and occasionally
getting q case. 1t is not the intention Of
this article to state anything concerning
the man that is not readily
SUSCEPTIBLE OF v-ERlFIcATIoN,
Therefore nothing will be said Of rumori
concerning his career during this period
beyond the fact that he had a happy fac
ulty, and remarkable facility, Of getting
into debt, which, however, may be over
looked on the score OF his necessities. Ii
his wanderings he was accompanied by hi
faithful wife, acknowledged by all wht
knew her to be q high-minded and
cultivated lady. Mrs. Hetzel did all IL
her power by teaching school and takinf
private pupils, to keep her husbands heaf
above water, and, though they had hare
lines, she was always received and &C
cepted as a lady by the society OF the com
munities In which they lived, while Het
eel, in bis lowest stage Of shabby genteel
ever maintained the manner and appear
ance OF q gentleman.
The next notable epoch in Hetzel's
career was during the mining excitemen
in Bodie, where he held a responsible pc
sition in a bank. He is an excellent &C
countant and a remarkably neat penmap
but il was rumored that his accounts dit
not balance and his tenure was short-lived
From Bodie Judge Hetzel and wife re
moved to San Jose, where
THE LADY AGAIN TOOK PUPILS
And her husband attempted to practic'
law, with but like success, and he re
moved to San Francisco, where he hat
friends in the legal profession who CAV
him countenanoe and endeavored to assis
him. He had been prominent in th'
Stockton Convention as q delegate from
Santa Clara, and be claims that he drafted
thefsmous Stockton Convention platform
He did not consider that this gave hin
much solidity with the9ew Cleveland ad
ministration, on account Of the assumed
influence of Judge Field; but, presumine
on his Eastern connections and the in
.imacy OF his family with that OF Secretary
Bayard, flew for high game, and. with the
aid of his mother, made q fight for the pc
sition OF Register Of the Land Office a.
San Francisco. Secretary Bayard sno
Senator German gave their attention to
the matter and urged his appointment
and his mother
PERSONALLY IMPoRTuNED THE PRESIDENT
The place, however, was intended fol
another, and a compromise was effected
by which he was to be appointed Register
for Sacramento. for which position he re-
o. A@L